


Cherry on Top

by shipping_ruined_my_life



Series: The Fire Lord's Favourite Restaurant [5]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Feel-good, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Post-Canon, Post-War, zuko the platypus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:13:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27581194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipping_ruined_my_life/pseuds/shipping_ruined_my_life
Summary: Zuko's back at his favourite restaurant. Small talk and puff pastries.
Series: The Fire Lord's Favourite Restaurant [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1833094
Comments: 11
Kudos: 195





	Cherry on Top

**Author's Note:**

> This is a 100% self indulgent. Also I lost all my notes on how i wanted this to go so I'm just doing what i feel like. Enjoy :)

The teen continued to show up about once a week or at least somewhat regularly. No one knew his name, but the staff had overheard his friends calling him Sparky. Another nickname was the exaggerated use of Sifu Hotman, which none of the staff referred to him by. It must be some inside joke and they frankly didn't need to understand it. No one asked him about it.

Today however, the teen showed up with a bunch of papers in his off hand, looking more dishevelled than usual. He seemed to have just recently pulled his hair out of a topknot, and he had ruffled his hair slightly to relieve the tension. Those things could give you a mean headache.

"Long day at the office?" Hana offered at the entrance, complete with a smirk but not lacking compassion.

"Oh, you have no idea!" the teen exclaimed. "We're trying to discuss taxes. It's been a whole day and I couldn't get through a fifth of the list because of all the shouting. Anyone who says nobles are well mannered have never tried to tell them no." the expiration radiated from him but he seemed to be about finished with nobles for the day.

Hana's side eye glance said it all. She had had her own share of entitled people to deal with. "Yeah, I can imagine." She said drily.

"How's your day so far?" the teen offered in return, now seemingly getting his hair under control. At least it wasn't sticking up everywhere.

"Same old, same old." She lamented momentarily before she remembered. "But the chef's trying out a new pastry recipe. We've got cherry filling today, so it's a good day."

"Cherry? That's great."

They continued in and she sat him at a well-lit table near a window. It was a bit busier than usual because a lot of people liked to go eat after work. The soft stim around the room added to the cosy feeling that made the restaurant so popular.

Soon enough he was he would be attended by Tarri, who walked with practiced ease among the tables without disturbing the other guests. "Hello, young lord. Glad to see you again." She said warmly as she approached his table. Close up he could see some happy crinkles at the corner of her eyes.

"Good afternoon, Tarri." He replied politely with a nod.

"Did you have anything in mind or would you like to hear today's specials?"

He thought about it for a moment but figured he'd already decided.

"Actually, Hana mentioned something about a cherry surprise. I'll have that and a pot of tea. Oolong if that's alright."

"Of course, I'll be right back with that. Would you like some water as well? It's hot out today."

"Yes, thank you. That'd be great."

"Alright." She winked and walked away, already planning in which order she'd help the other tables.

Meanwhile the teen decided to get ahead on the reading he'd brought. He skimmed through the pages and seemed to arrange them on different orders to be able to compare them. It all seemed very important.

The other tables had some teenage girls who were mid gossip and laughing a lot, some families who had a great chaotic time with the children doing what they do, and bitter old people who looked at them without saying anything. Some couples also got the stink eye from the elderly, along with some mutters about who their families were and what social standing they'd lose.

When a plate was placed next to him he looked up, briefly startled, but it was only Tarri.

"Oh, thanks." He said when she placed down the cherry pastry, and once again when she added the teapot and water carafe to the table.

"Alright, there you go. Hope you enjoy." She smiled brightly. "It's a good one."

The flaky puff pastry was like some grand prime example of how good a pastry could look. Perfect thickness of the dough, filling slightly visible through the tiny cuts on the crust, and a slight sprinkle of powdered sugar giving the final visually pleasing touch that made it completely irresistible. The click of whipped cream next to the pastry was topped with a cherry.

She left him to it and continued to manage all the other tables under her attention. Evening was coming and the hungry customers were sure to be a handful.

As time passed by the teen continued to adamantly read whatever secrets the tax papers contained, now with some powdered sugar in a spot on his cheek that they would be sure to tell him about before he left.


End file.
